Seating and/or lounging furniture

ABSTRACT

A seating and/or lounging furniture includes: a seat frame; an extendable footrest; a footrest frame, which is displaceable on the seat frame, and on the front end of which the footrest is held movably, pivotable around a pivot axis; at least one drive for displacement of the footrest frame along a displacement distance relative to the seat frame; and at least one operating rod for swinging the footrest in and out, around the pivot axis, wherein the operating rod is connected at one end to the footrest, while the other end of the operating rod is connected to the seat frame by means of a hinge mechanism, so that displacement of the footrest frame over at least 60%, preferably over at least 80%, and extremely preferably over at least 90% of the displacement distance causes a simultaneous pivoting movement of the footrest about the pivot axis.

The invention relates to seating and/or lounging furniture having anextendable footrest.

German Utility model DE-U-87 03 625 discloses an armchair having anextendable footrest in which the footrest is connected to a displaceableframe by means of a scissors mechanism. The actuating device acts on ahinge point between two connecting rods of the scissors mechanism. Thisknown armchair allows the heels of a person resting in the armchair tobe supported due to the great cantilever range of the scissorsmechanism. However, this known approach requires a relatively largeamount of space in the retracted condition and also requires safetymeasures to prevent jamming during movement of the footrest in theextended condition.

DE 20 2015 006 245 U discloses a much more compact approach, in whichthe seating and/or lounging furniture has essentially an extendablefootrest, a frame that is displaceable on the base frame of thefurniture, with a footrest connected to the front end of the frame aswell as an actuating device for extending and retracting the footrest.In addition, it is provided that the footrest is held, so that it ispivotable about a pivot axis on the front end of the frame. Theextension and retraction of the footrest take place by means of anoperating rod in combination with the displaceable frame, so that thescissors mechanism can be omitted. However, the extension and/orretraction of the footrest take place relatively abruptly, only at theend of the travel distance of the displaceable frame.

The object of the invention is therefore to further improve upon theextension and retraction of the footrest, while maintaining strictsafety requirements and preventing any possible risk of injury.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features ofclaim 1.

The seating and/or lounging furniture according to the invention hasessentially the following features:

-   -   a seat frame,    -   an extendable footrest,    -   a footrest frame which is displaceable on the seat frame, on the        front end of which the footrest is held movably, pivotable        around a pivot axis,    -   a drive for displacement of the footrest frame along a        displacement distance relative to the seat frame, and    -   at least one operating rod for swinging the footrest out and in        around the pivot axis, wherein the operating rod is connected to        the footrest at one end, while the other end of the operating        rod is connected to the seat frame by means of a hinge mechanism        so that a displacement of the footrest frame over at least 60%,        preferably over at least 80% and most preferably over at least        90% of the displacement distance causes a simultaneous pivoting        movement of the footrest about the pivot axis.

Due to the connection of the operating rod to the seat frame, thepivoting movement of the footrest is synchronized with the displacementof the footrest frame over a significantly greater displacementdistance. The footrest is swung out and is thus swung simultaneouslyover most of the total displacement distance of the footrest frame sothat swinging the footrest out and in takes place much more slowly incomparison with DE 20 2005 006 245 U and is therefore much more pleasantfor the user. Avoiding the use of a scissors mechanism also minimizesthe risk of injury.

Additional advantages and embodiments of the invention are the subjectmatter of the dependent claims.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the footrest frame ismounted displaceably in at least one guide profile. According to apreferred embodiment, the footrest frame is guided on the seat frame bymeans of guide rollers. The simultaneous pivoting movement of thefootrest over most of the displacement distance of the footrest frame isensured by the hinge mechanism to which the end of the operating rodfacing away from the footrest is connected to the seat frame. This hingemechanism preferably has a first hinge lever which is preferablyconnected to the rear end of the footrest frame in an articulatedconnection by means of a central hinge point. According to anotherembodiment the first hinge lever has a first outer hinge point forconnection to the operating rod in an articulated connection and has asecond outer hinge point for connection to a second hinge lever. Thesecond hinge lever can in particular be connected in an articulatedconnection to the first hinge lever at one end and also to the seatframe at a second end.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the operating rod isarranged behind the footrest frame so that it is concealed at least 80%,preferably at least 90% in a side view of the sitting and/or loungingfurniture with the footrest extended. This construction results in anaesthetically attractive external appearance that is easy to implementstructurally. Due to the construction of the displaceable footrest framehowever a sufficient stability is ensured even when the footrest isfully extended. In addition it is possible to provide that the operatingrod is arranged behind the footrest frame so that it is at least 80%concealed, preferably at least 90% in a side view of the seating and/orlounging furniture with the footrest retracted. Therefore the seatingand/or lounging furniture gives an aesthetically attractive appearance,whether the footrest is extended or retracted.

To ensure a sufficiently great supporting surface for the user's feet,the footrest may also have an extra supporting element connected to itin an articulated connection in addition to having the main supportingelement. The additional supporting element may then expediently beconnected to the operating rod by means of a connecting arm in anarticulated connection to make it possible to extend or retract the mainsupporting element and the additional supporting element at the sametime.

Additional embodiments of the invention are described in greater detailbelow on the basis of the following description of one exemplaryembodiment of the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of the seating and/or loungingfurniture according to the invention with the footrest extended,

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional diagram of an actuating mechanismaccording to a first exemplary embodiment in the extended position ofthe footrest,

FIGS. 3a-3c show side views of the actuating mechanism (as seen from theinside to the outside) in three different positions of the footrest,

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the position according to FIG. 3c as seenfrom the outside,

FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional diagram of an actuating mechanismaccording to a second exemplary embodiment in which the footrest has, inaddition to a main supporting element, also an additional supportingelement connected thereto with an articulated connection,

FIGS. 6a-6c show side views of the actuating mechanism according to FIG.5 in various positions of the footrest.

The seating and/or lounging furniture illustrated in FIG. 1 is forexample an armchair or a sofa. In the exemplary embodiment shown here,the seating and/or lounging furniture has a seat 1, a backrest 2, anarmrest 3 and a footrest 4, wherein the footrest 4 is shown in theextended state in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows an actuating mechanism 5 for extending and retracting thefootrest 4. It has a footrest frame 6 consisting of two rods 6 a (onlyone of the two rods is shown in FIG. 2) and at least one crossbar 6 dconnecting the two rods 6 a. This forms an essentially H-shaped footrestframe 6, which is mounted displaceably in the area of its two opposingrods 6 a. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, each rod 6 a onthe seat frame 7 is mounted by means of two guide rolls 8, 9 arrangedabove the rod 6 a and one guide roll 10 arranged below the rod, so thatthe footrest frame 6 is guided in a stable manner and is displaceablealong the extent of the rods 6 a on the seat frame 7.

The footrest frame 6 is displaced by means of a drive 11, which isdesigned as a linear motor and is connected at one end to a crossbar 12,which is firmly connected to the seat frame 7, and to the crossbar 6 bof the footrest frame 6 at its other end. Therefore, actuation of thedrive 11 results in a parallel displacement of the crossbar 6 b relativeto the stationary crossbar 12 of the seat frame 7 after the crossbar 6 bhas been firmly connected to the rods 6 a, so that actuation of thedrive results in displacement of the footrest frame 6 along adisplacement distance, which is predetermined by the guide rollers 8-10.However, a slide bearing or any other suitable type of bearing could beprovided instead of guide rollers 8-10, for example.

The additional embodiments of the actuating mechanism 5 are described ingreater detail below with reference to FIG. 2 and the various positionsof the footrest illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3c . FIG. 3a shows theretracted position of the footrest;

FIG. 3c shows the extended position and FIG. 3b shows an intermediateposition. The maximum displacement distance of the footrest frame 6 isthus indicated by a comparison of the FIGS. 3a and 3c , each of whichillustrates the end positions of the footrest frame 6.

In this exemplary embodiment, the footrest 4 has a main supportingelement 4 a which is held movably at the end of the rod 6 a to pivotabout a pivot axis 13. The pivoting movement of the footrest 4 which issynchronized with the displacement of the footrest frame 6 isimplemented with an operating rod 14, which is connected with anarticulated joint to the footrest 4 at one end and/or to the mainsupporting element 4 a at a hinge point 15 (FIG. 2a ). At the other endof the operating rod 14, an articulated joint mechanism 16 is provided,with which the operating rod 14 is connected to the footrest frame 6 aswell as to the seating frame 7.

The articulated joint mechanism 16 comprises a first joint lever 16 a,which is connected to the footrest frame 6 at a middle joint position 16b in an articulated connection. The operating rod 14 is connected to afirst outer hinge point 16 c of the first joint lever 16 a at its endfacing away from the footrest 4. At the other end of the first jointlever 16 a, a second outer hinge point 16 d is provided, at which thefirst joint lever 16 a is connected to a second joint lever 16 e in anarticulated connection, wherein the second joint lever 16 e is connectedto the seat frame 7 in an articulated connection at a third hinge point16 f.

The positions of the individual joint levers of the articulated jointmechanism 6 with respect to the footrest 4 can be seen in threedifferent positions of the footrest 4 in FIGS. 3a to 3c . FIGS. 3a to 3cshow a side view of the actuating mechanism 5 from the center of theseating and/or lounging furniture, as seen from the outside. It can beseen in FIG. 3c in particular that operating rod 4 and rod 6 a of thefootrest frame are designed to be parallel and overlapping. When theseating and/or lounging furniture is seen from the outside (see FIG. 4),the operating rod 14 is covered completely by the rod 6 a of thefootrest frame, resulting in a particularly slender construction. Thefootrest frame 8 is arranged to be guided by means of the guide rollers8-10 inside the seat frame 7, so that injury of the user can be ruledout. Only in the area of the folding movement of the footrest 4 on theforward end of the operating rod 14 are suitable covers and/or safetymeasures provided to prevent injury to the user.

FIG. 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the invention whichcorresponds essentially to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2.There is only one difference in the area of the footrest 4, which alsodiscloses, in addition to the main supporting element 4 a in theexemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, an additional supportingelement 4 b connected thereto in an articulated connection. As can beseen in particular from FIGS. 6a to 6c , the main supporting element 4 aand the additional supporting element 4 b are connected to each other byan articulated point 4 c.

The operating rod 14 is still connected to the main supporting element 4a via the hinge point 15 in an articulated connection. However, theoperating rod 14 is still connected to the additional supporting element4 b by means of a connecting arm 4 d in an articulated connection.Displacement of the operating rod 4 relative to the footrest frame 6thus causes not only a pivoting movement of the main supporting element4 a about the pivot axis 13, but at the same time also causes theadditional supporting element 4 b to be pivoted outward by means of theconnecting arm 4 d at the same time. Due to this construction, thefootrest 4 may be designed to be somewhat larger and is also shown inthe retracted condition of the footrest, so that the footrest is alsofolded away, so that it is much more compact and therefore can be placedbeneath the seat 1 more easily and in a more aesthetically attractivemanner.

1. A seating and/or lounging furniture, comprising a seat frame (7), anextendable footrest (4), a footrest frame (6), which is displaceable onthe seat frame (7) and on the front end of which the footrest (4) isheld movably, pivotable around a pivot axis (6), at least one drive (11)for displacement of the footrest frame (6) along a displacement distancerelative to the seat frame (7), and at least one operating rod (14) forswinging the footrest (4) out and in around the pivot axis (13), whereinthe operating rod (14) is connected at one end to the footrest (4),characterized in that the other end of the operating rod (14) isconnected to the seat frame (7) by means of a hinge mechanism (16), sothat a displacement of the footrest frame (6) over at least 60%,preferably over at least 80%, and extremely preferably over at least 90%of the displacement distance causes a simultaneous pivoting movement ofthe footrest (4) about the pivot axis (13).
 2. The seating and/orlounging furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that thefootrest frame (6) is supported displaceably in at least one guideprofile.
 3. The seating and/or lounging furniture according to claim 1,characterized in that the footrest frame (6) is supported displaceablyon the seat frame (7) by means of guide rollers (8, 9, 10).
 4. Theseating and/or lounging furniture according to claim 1, characterized inthat the articulated joint mechanism comprises a first articulated lever(16 a), which is connected to the rear end of the foot rest frame (6) inan articulated connection.
 5. The seating and/or lounging furnitureaccording to claim 4, characterized in that the first articulated lever(16 a) has a central hinge point (16 b), with which it is connected tothe footrest frame (6) in an articulated connection and has a firstouter hinge point (16 c) for an articulated connection to the operatingrod (14) and a second outer hinge point (16 d) for connection to asecond articulated lever (16 e).
 6. The seating and/or loungingfurniture according to claim 5, characterized in that the secondarticulated lever (16 e) has an articulated connection to the firstarticulated lever (16 a) at one end and an articulated connection to theseat frame (7) at a second end.
 7. The seating and/or lounging furnitureaccording to claim 1, characterized in that, when the footrest (4) isextended, the operating rod (14) is arranged so that, in a side view ofthe seating and/or lounging furniture, the footrest is at least 80%concealed, preferably at least 90% concealed, behind the footrest frame(6).
 8. The seating and/or lounging furniture according to claim 7,characterized in that when the footrest (4) is folded in, the operatingrod (14) is arranged, so that it is at least 80% concealed, preferablyat least 90% concealed, behind the footrest frame (6), as seen in a sideview of the seating or lounging furniture.
 9. The seating and/orlounging furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that thefootrest (4) has a main supporting element (4 a) and an additionalsupporting element (4 b) connected to the former in an articulatedconnection.
 10. The seating and/or lounging furniture according to claim9, characterized in that the additional supporting element (4 b) is alsoconnected to the operating rod (14) by means of a connecting arm (4 c)in an articulated connection.